The present invention is generally related to bearing seal structures designed to reduce damage to sealed wide inner ring bearings when the bearings are subjected to high-pressure wash down applications such as may occur in food-processing environments, and in particular, to a seal guard configured to prevent ingress of water and external contaminates into a sealed bearing to reduce loss of grease from the bearing and to reduce rust formation on the bearing seals or within the bearing.
In traditional wide inner ring bearing assemblies, such as those mounted on rotating shafts, the bearings are imperfectly sealed against contaminate ingress and lubricant loss by stamped metal end caps and conventional rubber seals. These rubber seals and end caps fit within the annular openings between the bearing rotating inner and outer ring components. In such configurations, it is possible for external contaminants, such as water, to enter the bearing assembly bore under the seals and end caps, damaging internal components and causing a purge of lubricating grease from the bearing assembly bore. For example, in food processing applications, machinery, and hence the bearings, may experience high pressure wash down with water jets during which water, and any suspended environmental contaminates, may enter a bearing through the seal bore area or the area where the metallic seal cap attaches to the outer ring seal groove. Traditional bearing caps made from metal stampings are often not water resistant, and an ingress of water into the bearing erodes the bearing's lubricating grease and, over the course of time, gradually causes these bearings to corrode and ultimately seize.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide wide inner ring bearings, such as those utilized in food-processing environments, with an improved seal design configured to reduce water and contaminant ingress into the bearing assembly during exposure to harsh environments.